The Slums
Write the first paragraph of your page here. The Slums The Slums are composed of different groups of refugees. Different boroughs were settled by different types of people. For that reason, you may encounter/design different customs, dialects, and styles of dress/weaponry from room to room. Feel free to ad lib. That's how customs and styles are developed in real life; maybe you'll start a trend. Players are advised that this is a risky city. Your character might be challenged, fought, robbed, or even killed (with permission). History There is no cohesive history of the slums. They're a conglomeration of people from all over the world. Criminals, exiles, runaways, and the poor and desperate -- everybody who's nobody has settled in this kingdom. What began as a few huts has become a network of cities, each with its own unique identity. They all owe fealty to a single leader. And they're all poor, brutal, and desperate harbours for criminals of all kinds. Small differences have grown up over time. Outsiders usually can't pick them out -- they just see a bunch of slumrats. But if you're a local, you can tell where someone comes from by their language, dress, and customs. Generally those from the slums are not welcome in other kingdoms, but that's fine -- no one has the money to leave anyway. Location and Layout The maze of shacks begins just to the east of White City. Most shacks are two- or three-sided wooden structures. They are flimsy and rarely weatherproof. Resources are extremely limited, so improving structures is not often possible. In bad weather, roving thieves will rip the siding off buildings to burn for warmth. Many shacks, especially those near the Town Square, double as shops. It is legal to sell anything here. However, it's not necessarily safe to. Those with valuable items had better keep them quiet -- there's always someone stronger, bigger, and better-armed than you in the slums. There are thousands of streets within the cities. Most lead directly into houses or else dead-end in alleys. For longtime residents, it's totally fine to cut through homes on their way elsewhere -- residents know which to avoid and which won't care. But outsiders may find themselves in a heap of trouble if they try. A series of public aquifers forms a line through the city. Those furthest east -- closest to White City -- are the cleanest. By about midway through the slums the water must be boiled before being drunk. The final few aquifers are antiquated, full of muck and deadly algaes. Some races are immune to waterbourne illnesses -- those tend to settle furthest down the line, where housing is more readily available. There is only one jail/dungeon in the slums. It belongs to Oxxilius and is rarely, rarely employed. Most crimes are settled with a bloodprice, and if the price isn't paid, with death. Do not mess with the public officials. The slums' shacks used to abutt White City's wall (with the slums stretching out to the west, White City to the east). However, after the purges ten years ago, the slums receded westward by about six miles. A few scattered buildings line the gap, including Cecil's Silver Shop. The forest has begun to reclaim the gap. Leadership Oxxilius is the Boss of the Slums. Under Oxxilius are the seven boroughs, each with its own leader (plus Dyret Lang, which has no leader). The leaders owe loyalty to Oxxilius alone. Currently the leaders include: Capital City OxxiliusEdin Kieth King's Rise (open)Ruins (open)Southard (open)Tiree (open)The Midden (open) City leaders collect bloodprices, implement laws, and resolve disputes within their cities. Some leaders are lax, others not so much. It's usually better to handle things on your own rather than to approach a city leader. They'll want money and will probably maim you to boot. All slum leaders have a host of NPC guards. Do not mess with the guards. Like guards in any other city, they are powerful. Unlike guards in any other city, they will not hesitate to kill you. The slums are not big on jails. Leaders are often corrupt. They may approach you asking for things they don't deserve. Your response is your choice, but please remember taking the hit, then questing for your items later, makes for a better game. To become a leader, contact Oxxilius (IC). Races All races have a niche within the Slums. Certain neighborhoods tend to harbour certain races. You'll rarely find dark races outside the Ruins, for example, and elves tend to stay near King's Rise. But there's no law about it – it's up to the character's nature. Prejudices are based more on neighborhoods than on race in the Slums. You could be looked down on for being from the Ruins without being mocked for being vampiric. Cross- and half-breeds of all types are very common. Religion Individuals practice their own religions; there's no overarcing religion that the slums adhere to. In some cities there are well-known altars or temples, but those are privately maintained. No religion is barred. Certain practices fall under the Code of Grievances and must be paid for. Climate Similar to White City and the nearby forest. The slums are marshy in places, so humid in summer, bitterly cold in winter. They experience heavy snowfall just like White. However, there's not as much shelter in the slums, so people are affected severely by the cold and heat -- a cold winter is a huge problem. Language Each borough has its own dominant languages and people groups. The one unifying language, unique to the slums, is the thieves' cant. It's a kind of pigeon spoken by the very lowest classes, used to do dirty deeds in the full public eye. Each borough has a different dialect, so that someone from King's Rise might not understand someone from Southard -- and even within boroughs, different groups of people use different types of slang. As a player, if you want to cant with someone else, the easiest way is to use CP or YIM. There's no established translator. The cant sounds closest to Kalderash Romani, if you're really hunting for a word. Special Rules There are no laws in the slums. Instead there's a Code of Grievances. If you do anything listed on the Code, you are worthy of death. Anyone can kill you, maim you, whatever without getting in trouble. To redeem yourself, you can choose to pay a fee called a bloodprice to your local city leader. Even things that would be considered unforgivable in other cities -- murder, rape, theft -- are entirely erased when you pay the bloodprice. The two exceptions are arson and treason. These cannot be paid away. (Oxxilius can choose to pardon them at his sole discretion.) If crime's necessary in your lifestyle or line of work, you can pre-pay. For example, in Tiree slavers pay their abduction fees at the beginning of the month, then are covered to abduct a certain quota of children. It's the only way to do certain types of business in the Slums, and we are all about doing business. Oxxilius maintains the basic Code of Grievances at the Town Square (Capital City). Other city leaders may add grievances to their lists, with his approval. Please check the rules for your city before doing anything dastardly. The following things are considered offences (grievances) in the slums: Murder Rape Theft Maiming/torture Public disruption VandalismAbduction Notes for players The slums are dangerous, rough places where criminals find sanctuary. It is likely your character will be attacked or stolen from. Don't worry. This is the home of the underground market -- you'll probably find your stuff again by questing. So respect the dice. Take the hit. Lose the item. It's going to be okay. It is always within your power as a player to refuse to be attacked/stolen from/etc, but it makes for a boring game. If a character is hassling yours, you can always hire someone to get revenge. If you do not pay a bloodprice, your character can legally be killed or maimed. Please remember to pay. If you're unclear about whether you've committed an offence, or if you'd like to dispute one, or if you need help transferring gold, contact your local city leader. Their ruling is final. They may choose to take the matter to Oxxilius – that's entirely up to them. Rooms and Descriptions Cecils Kitchen Silver *knock first*This is a forge located in the strip of green between White City and the Slums. The home of a young smith and an interesting old man. Its a two story house with a forge out back and kitchen wares sold inside of the house. Always best to knock before entering. Contact Armand for details Boss' Headquarters *knock first*The headquarters of the current Boss. Not open to the public. Contact Oxxilius for details. The headquarters of the current Boss. Location may change or be kept secret, but Headquarters are usually built somewhere within the capital. There's a rarely-used jail in the basement. Far more often used is the “cage,” a semi-secret punishment device that drives people insane. Players that seek entrance into the Boss' Headquarters will either need permission to enter from the guards (NPC's) or permission from the boss himself (Oxxilius), It should be noted that there are guards posted at the front entance of the Headquarter, so please be curtious of the room owner and ask for permission first. 'Capital City '''Main borough of the Slums. Capital City is the Slums' interface with outsiders. It's nearest the road that leads out of White City. If you're entering for the first time, this where you'll probably come first. '''Town Square'Yes, it is square. Sort of. This is the center of the Capital. It's roughly half a mile wide and long. In the center is a public aquifer where all citizens can freely draw water. Because they're close to White City, the quality's good enough to drink without boiling (usually). The ground is pitted and pocked where cobblestones were stripped to reinforce buildings. In rain this place turns to mud. Most public events happen here. There are washtubs in the northern corner of the square. For a quarter-silver you can take a bath, granted you draw (and heat?) your own water. Washing-pits fill the other quadrants. Any given day you might find a hundred women and kids shoving clothes around with long staffs, dousing them in the fetid water of the pits. The whole place smells of wet wool. Children often frolic in the shallow lowest steps of the washing pits, or else steal a bath when a patron leaves their tub full. There is a post in the Square which the Boss uses for punishments. His chair is situated nearby. If you are not the Boss, you'd do well to stay away from that chair. Vendors can make a fortune selling goodies while punishments are enacted – the people here are hardened and do not mind a little blood, if the crime earns it. Festivals absorb this space, filling it with people and decorations and lamps. You can see the Restaurant and the faces of a number of shops from here. '''Restaurant '''Narella's Restaurant and Pub. Located in Capital City. Contact Narella for details. '''Ruins '''Borough with a bad reputation. This area was once a castle complete with courtyards, inner and outer baileys, and a huge wall. Weres, vampires, and demons have settled here. '''Kings Rise '''Borough with the wealthiest reputation. The ground slopes upward here so residents can see into White City (over the wall). Elves and humans have settled here. '''Edin Kieth '''Borough of the Edin Kieth. Large tents surround this place and from the outside it really cannot be seen. There is a threshold but once over it you are in a large settlement of tents and merchants. Slaves are nude and tied to the poles as you walk in. The language that is spoken in this room is only Keith. Rules posted on the Wall. '''Southard '''Borough with a migrant reputation. Marshy with large seasonal waterways. Known for its gangs, especially the Goodtiders. '''Tiree '''Borough known for industry. Contains a workhouse where many of Faerune's fabrics are produced. (Leader of this Borough is now Sixxes, if you have questions or want to be apart of it, contact Sixxes.) '''The Midden '''Borough built through a midden heap. Lots of children live here. Home to orphanages like Tom Chrast's Home for the Young (called Chy for short) and the Midden School, where kids can get a hot meal and an education for free. '''Dyret Lang '''Hidden underground marketplace. You must be escorted by a slum resident to find it. Anything you could possibly want, anything at all, is sold here for a price. Price to Pay for Breaking the Code of Grievances Murder ….......................................... 500 gold Abduction …...................................... 300 gold Rape ….............................................. 200 gold Maiming/torture …............................. 200 gold Theft …................................................ 50 gold Public disruption ….............................. 50 gold Vandalism …......................................... 50 gold Blood price to be paid for un-paid Grievances Murder- Penalties are either death or life in the cage Abduction- Penalties are death or a numbered amount of lashes (If the one abducted was killed then the price is the same as Murder.) Rape- Penality for rape is a determined amount of lashes and a determened amount of time in the cage. (If the person that is/was raped is dead then the price is the same as Murder.) Maiming Torture- Determined amount of time in the cage Theft- Determined amount of lashes and the item/items returned two-fold Public Disruption- Choice is determined by Oxxilius Vandalism- Repair and service elsewhere Category:Kingdoms